History professor Scott Kurashige hasn't always had a passion for the past. "When I was in high school, history was probably my least favorite subject," said Kurashige, who teaches in the School of Interdisciplinary Arts & Sciences at UW Bothell. "After 10th grade European history — where I learned next to nothing — the AP teacher banned me from taking 11th grade U.S. history. It was probably the best thing that ever happened to me." It meant he wouldn't have the chance to test out of taking U.S. history in college. And after he enrolled at the University of Pennsylvania, he ended up majoring in the subject.